1 Intro to Javascript
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Client Side Scripting
2
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Why use client-side
3
programming?
PHP already allows us to create dynamic
web pages. Why also use client-side
scripting?
client-side scripting (JavaScript) benefits:
usability: can modify a page without
having to post back to the server (faster UI)
efficiency: can make small, quick changes
to page without waiting for server
event-driven: can respond to user actions
like clicks and key presses
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Why use client-side
4
programming?
server-side programming (PHP) benefits:
security: has access to server's private
data; client can't see source code
compatibility: not subject to browser
compatibility issues
power: can write files, open connections to
servers, connect to databases, ...
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What is Javascript?
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a lightweight programming language
("scripting language")
used to make web pages interactive
insert dynamic text into HTML (ex: user
name)
react to events (ex: page load user click)
get information about a user's computer
(ex: browser type)
perform calculations on user's computer
(ex: form validation)
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What is Javascript?
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a web standard (but not supported
identically by all browsers)
NOT related to Java other than by name
and some syntactic similarities
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Javascript vs Java
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interpreted, not compiled
more relaxed syntax and rules
fewer and "looser" data types
variables don't need to be declared
errors often silent (few exceptions)
key construct is the function rather than
the class
"first-class" functions are used in many
situations
contained within a web page and
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integrates with its HTML/CSS content
Javascript vs Java
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+ =
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JavaScript vs. PHP
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similarities:
both are interpreted, not compiled
both are relaxed about syntax, rules,
and types
both are case-sensitive
both have built-in regular expressions
for powerful text processing
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JavaScript vs. PHP
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Feature / Criteria JavaScript PHP
Scripting language mainly for Scripting language mainly for
Type
client-side server-side
Runs in web browsers (e.g., Runs on web servers (e.g.,
Execution Environment
Chrome, Firefox) Apache, Nginx)
Enhancing web page interactivity Server-side web development
Primary Use
(frontend) (backend)
C-style syntax with unique PHP-
Syntax Style C-style syntax
specific features
Interpreted (via browser engines Interpreted (via server runtime
Interpreted or Compiled
like V8) like Zend)
Server-Side Support Via Node.js (backend runtime) Native server-side scripting
Client-Side Support Yes, runs in browsers No, not supported in browsers
Via Node.js modules (e.g., Native support for MySQL,
Database Interaction
Sequelize, Mongoose) PostgreSQL, etc.
Non-blocking, event-driven Blocking I/O, though async
Concurrency Model
(async) support exists
Embedded in HTML with <?
Integration with HTML Embedded via <script> tags
php ... ?> tags
Platform-independent (browser- Platform-independent (server-
Platform Dependency
based) based)
Community & Support Large, active community Large, mature community
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Moderate, especially for dynamic Easy to moderate, especially for
Learning Curve
frontends web dev
Linking to a JavaScript file:
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script
<script src="filename" type="text/javascript"></script>
HTML
script tag should be placed in HTML
page's head
script code is stored in a separate .js file
JS code can be placed directly in the
HTML file's body or head (like CSS)
but this is bad style (should separate
content, presentation, and behavior
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Event-driven programming
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split breaks apart a string into an array
using a delimiter
can also be used with regular expressions
(seen later)
join merges an array into a single string,
placing a delimiter between them
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A JavaScript statement:
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alert
alert("IE6 detected. Suck-mode enabled.");
JS
a JS command that pops up a dialog box
with a message
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Event-driven programming
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you are used to programs start with a
main method (or implicit main like in
PHP)
JavaScript programs instead wait for user
actions called events and respond to
them
event-driven programming: writing
programs driven by user events
Let's write a page with a clickable button
that pops up a "Hello, World" window...
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Buttons
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<button>Click me!</button> HTML
button's text appears inside tag; can
also contain images
To make a responsive button or other UI
control:
1. choose the control (e.g. button) and event
(e.g. mouse 1. click) of interest
2. write a JavaScript function to run when
the event occurs
3. attach the function to the event on the
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JavaScript functions
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function name() {
statement ;
statement ;
...
statement ;
} JS
function myFunction() {
alert("Hello!");
alert("How are you?");
} JS
the above could be the contents of
example.js linked to our HTML page
statements placed into functions can be
evaluated in response to user events
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Event handlers
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<element attributes onclick="function();">...
HTML
<button onclick="myFunction();">Click me!</button>
HTML
JavaScript functions can be set as event
handlers
when you interact with the element, the
function will execute
onclick is just one of many event HTML
attributes we'll use
but popping up an alert window is
disruptive and annoying
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Document Object Model
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(DOM)
most JS code
manipulates elements
on an HTML page
we can examine
elements' state
e.g. see whether a box
is checked
we can change state
e.g. insert some new
text into a div
we can change styles
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DOM element objects
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Accessing elements:
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document.getElementById
var name = document.getElementById("id");
JS
<button onclick="changeText();">Click me!</button>
<span id="output">replace me</span>
<input id="textbox" type="text" />
HTML
function changeText() {
var span = document.getElementById("output");
var textBox = document.getElementById("textbox");
textbox.style.color = "red";
}
JS
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Accessing elements:
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document.getElementById
document.getElementById returns the
DOM object for an element with a given
id
can change the text inside most
elements by setting the innerHTML
property
can change the text in form controls by
setting the value property
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Changing element style:
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element.style
Property or style
Attribute
object
color color
padding padding
background-color backgroundColor
border-top-width borderTopWidth
Font size fontSize
Font famiy fontFamily
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Preetify
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function changeText() {
//grab or initialize text here
// font styles added by JS:
text.style.fontSize = "13pt";
text.style.fontFamily = "Comic Sans MS";
text.style.color = "red"; // or pink?
}
JS
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24 More Javascript Syntax
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Variables
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var name = expression; JS
var clientName = "Connie Client";
var age = 32;
var weight = 127.4; JS
variables are declared with the var
keyword (case sensitive)
types are not specified, but JS does have
types ("loosely typed")
Number, Boolean, String, Array, Object,
Function, Null, Undefined
can find out a variable's type by calling
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typeof
Number type
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var enrollment = 99;
var medianGrade = 2.8;
var credits = 5 + 4 + (2 * 3);
JS
integers and real numbers are the same
type (no int vs. double)
same operators: + - * / % ++ -- = += -=
*= /= %=
similar precedence to Java
many operators auto-convert types: "2"
* 3 is 6
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Comments (same as Java)
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// single-line comment
/* multi-line comment */
JS
identical to Java's comment syntax
recall: 4 comment syntaxes
HTML: <!-- comment -->
CSS/JS/PHP: /* comment */
Java/JS/PHP: // comment
PHP: # comment
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Math object
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var rand1to10 = Math.floor(Math.random() * 10 + 1);
var three = Math.floor(Math.PI);
JS
methods: abs, ceil, cos, floor, log,
max, min, pow, random, round, sin,
sqrt, tan
properties: E, PI
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Special values: null and
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undefined
var ned = null;
var benson = 9;
// at this point in the code,
// ned is null
// benson's 9
// caroline is undefined
JS
undefined : has not been declared, does
not exist
null : exists, but was specifically
assigned an empty or null value
Why does JavaScript have both of these?
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Logical operators
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> < >= <= && || ! == != === !==
most logical operators automatically
convert types:
5 < "7" is true
42 == 42.0 is true
"5.0" == 5 is true
=== and !== are strict equality tests;
checks both type and value
"5.0" === 5 is false
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if/else statement (same as
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Java)
if (condition) {
statements;
} else if (condition) {
statements;
} else {
statements;
}
JS
identical structure to Java's if/else
statement
JavaScript allows almost anything as a
condition
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Boolean type
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var iLike190M = true;
var ieIsGood = "IE6" > 0; // false
if ("web devevelopment is great") { /* true */ }
if (0) { /* false */ }
JS
any value can be used as a Boolean
"falsey" values: 0, 0.0, NaN, "", null, and
undefined
"truthy" values: anything else
converting a value into a Boolean
explicitly:
var boolValue = Boolean(otherValue);
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var boolValue = !!(otherValue);
for loop (same as Java)
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var sum = 0;
for (var i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
sum = sum + i;
}
JS
var s1 = "hello";
var s2 = "";
for (var i = 0; i < s.length; i++) {
s2 += s1.charAt(i) + s1.charAt(i);
}
// s2 stores "hheelllloo"
JS
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while loops (same as Java)
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while (condition) {
statements;
} JS
do {
statements;
} while (condition);
JS
break and continue keywords also
behave as in Java
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Popup boxes
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alert("message"); // message
confirm("message"); // returns true or false
prompt("message"); // returns user input string
JS
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Arrays
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var name = []; // empty array
var name = [value, value, ..., value]; // pre-filled
name[index] = value; // store element
JS
var ducks = ["Huey", "Dewey", "Louie"];
var stooges = []; // stooges.length is 0
stooges[0] = "Larry"; // stooges.length is 1
stooges[1] = "Moe"; // stooges.length is 2
stooges[4] = "Curly"; // stooges.length is 5
stooges[4] = "Shemp"; // stooges.length is 5
JS
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Array methods
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var a = ["Stef", "Jason"]; // Stef, Jason
a.push("Brian"); // Stef, Jason, Brian
a.unshift("Kelly"); // Kelly, Stef, Jason, Brian
a.pop(); // Kelly, Stef, Jason
a.shift(); // Stef, Jason
a.sort(); // Jason, Stef
JS
array serves as many data structures: list,
queue, stack, ...
methods: concat, join, pop, push, reverse,
shift, slice, sort, splice, toString, unshift
push and pop add / remove from back
unshift and shift add / remove from front
shift and pop return the element that is
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removed
String type
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var s = "Connie Client";
var fName = s.substring(0, s.indexOf(" ")); // "Connie"
var len = s.length; // 13
var s2 = 'Melvin Merchant';
JS
methods: charAt, charCodeAt,
fromCharCode, indexOf, lastIndexOf,
replace, split, substring, toLowerCase,
toUpperCase
charAt returns a one-letter String (there is
no char type)
length property (not a method as in Java)
Strings can be specified with "" or ''
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More about String
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escape sequences behave as in Java: \' \"
\& \n \t \\
converting between numbers and
var Strings:
count = 10;
var s1 = "" + count; // "10"
var s2 = count + " bananas, ah ah ah!"; // "10 bananas, ah
ah ah!"
var n1 = parseInt("42 is the answer"); // 42
var n2 = parseFloat("booyah"); // NaN JS
accessing the letters of a String:
var firstLetter = s[0]; // fails in IE
var firstLetter = s.charAt(0); // does work in IE
var lastLetter = s.charAt(s.length - 1);
JS
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Splitting strings: split and
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join
var s = "the quick brown fox";
var a = s.split(" "); // ["the", "quick", "brown", "fox"]
a.reverse(); // ["fox", "brown", "quick", "the"]
s = a.join("!"); // "fox!brown!quick!the"
JS
split breaks apart a string into an array
using a delimiter
can also be used with regular expressions
(seen later)
join merges an array into a single string,
placing a delimiter between them
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